Tasks

These assignments are inspired and governed by my rules
for the game of Christian liberal arts education. You should be
aware of them.

Small group membership. You will join a group of
three (or four) students and exchange e-mail and phone contact information before the first written assignment. Further team and group responsibilities
and guidelines are available in the leadership
section of my rules of the game.

Active attendance. You will attend class sessions
and group meetings and participate in discussions. These times
together are integral parts of the course. Our subject is best understood
when lived and discussed, not just when heard and read. When you fail
to attend, you frustrate not only your education, but that of your teammates
and especially those in your group. I don't take roll or require that
you speak in class. However, I do reserve 15% of your grade for course
participation in whatever form it may take for you.

The syllabus sometimes contains links to
lecture outlines, but beware: I frequently make points in class that are
not on the outline. Where I do skip points in an outline, you are not
formally responsible, but you should still browse the whole outline to
see how I would develop the topic if we had more time.

Written exercises.You will write 4-5 occasional exercises
on lectures and readings. You can find each assignment from a link on
the schedule. These are like 'problem sets'
meant to get you into readings and lectures before you forget the information
(this doesn't take long, believe me), to keep you caught up, and to train
you in how to study, understand, apply, and write about theology. You
will review and discuss these with group members and occasionally in class.
As you write, please refer to my suggestions
for writing papers for helpful suggestions, cautions about Internet "research", ultimata regarding late papers and plagiarism, and
so on. These exercises will comprise 60% of your grade.

Peer review. You will peer review the written work
and presentations of other students in your group, evaluating the writer's
style, organization, use of sources, and strength of argument. Refer to
my peer review guidelines
and use my peer review form (in HTML
or Acrobat). How well you
perform your peer reviews will comprise 10% of your grade.

In-class presentation. Each student will give an in-class
presentation on that day's reading. The point is to facilitate
a productive discussion. Here you will

remind us of
the reading,

provide helpful context and analysis,

make observations,
and

raise questions for us to discuss.

Presentations may take several forms: Recitation
of a text for discussion, lecture, or some other format (the choice is
up to you, in consultation with me). A typical discussion text amounts
to one tightly written, single-spaced page. Submit your
presentation to the other students in your group for peer-review in time
to get their responses and make changes before you deliver it. Please
distribute copies to your classmates on the day of your presentation.
Your presentation will count as 15% of your grade. All participants,
but especially presenters, will want to consult my list of pointers for presentations. As you write, please refer to my suggestions for writing papers for helpful suggestions, cautions
about Internet "research", ultimata regarding late papers and
plagiarism, and so on.

Reading. You must read all required material for class discussions before class sessions. You should read all other required material before
the class sessions that follow them. If you fall behind, you must be
caught up on readings before your group meetings. Bring up misunderstandings
at group meetings and in class. Assignments draw on lectures, readings,
and discussions, so you are accountable soon anyway. Do not fall behind,
or you and your teammates will be sorry!

Discussion Questions. Everyone who is not presenting that
day will submit at least one brief question on each section of that day's
reading (typed, not written out). These questions should be of the kinds
you would pose in class or in presentations. I may spot check them in
the same way I spot check written exercises, grading them '+', '-', 'U'
(unacceptable), or '0' (absent). Your combined discussion question grades
will count as one exercise.

If student unpreparedness warrants, I will add the following paragraph,
on reading notes, to the required course tasks. It is grayed out because
at present it is not a course requirement. Keep it that way, OK?

Reading notes.
Everyone who is not presenting that day will bring a 1 page (maximum)
typewritten brief that (1) summarizes the reading, and (2) asks
at least one thoughtful question for discussion. These should be in prose-outline
form (see my rationale
and example), well written. If your briefs do not conform to the requirements,
I will hand them back and you will need to resubmit them. I do not
normally accept late briefs, though I do accept briefs ahead of time
for absences. I will collect these after class, and grade them '+', '-',
'U' (unacceptable), or '0' (absent).

You will not engage in academic dishonesty (as described in your
student handbook). Students who do will fail the course.

"You know that we who teach shall be judged with greater
strictness" (James 3:1). There is perhaps no more responsible position
in the Church than teaching doctrine and preaching Scripture, whether
behind a lectern, in a small group, or around a dinner table. In grading
these assignments, I will resist grade inflation. I've found (as both
a teacher and as a student!) that this way students are more likely to
improve, and grades are just as high at the end of the course because
of that improvement.

"I cannot understand it." What marvel? How shouldest thou
understand, if thou wilt not read nor look upon it? Take the books into
thine hands, read the whole story, and that thou understandest keep
it well in memory; thou that understandest not, read it again and again:
if thou can neither so come by it, counsel with some other that is better
learned. Go to thy curate and preacher; show thyself to be desirous
to know and learn: and I doubt not but God, seeing thy diligence and
readiness (if no man else teach thee) will himself vouchsafe with his
Holy Spirit to illuminate thee, and to open unto thee that which was
locked from thee (Preface to the Great Bible 6).